Carnegie Grant Boosts National Push for Student Media Literacy

PHILADELPHIA, PA – January 21, 2026 – In a significant move to bolster youth defenses against a rising tide of digital misinformation, the Alliance for Decision Education has received a major grant from Carnegie Corporation of New York. The funding will scale its Media Literacy Incubator from a handful of pilot schools to district-level implementation nationwide, aiming to equip thousands of middle and high school students with the skills to navigate today’s complex, AI-infused information landscape.

The initiative comes at a critical time. Educators and policymakers are grappling with how to prepare students for a world where distinguishing credible information from sophisticated falsehoods is a daily challenge. This new partnership represents a major endorsement of an educational model that goes beyond simple fact-checking, focusing instead on the underlying cognitive skills required for sound judgment and decision-making.

A New Frontline in Education

The need for robust media literacy has never been more apparent. As states across the country recognize the urgency, the policy landscape is rapidly evolving. Currently, 25 states have enacted some form of media literacy legislation, with many more bills pending. This legislative momentum reflects a growing consensus that these skills are no longer a niche topic but a core competency for modern citizenship.

However, implementation remains a significant hurdle. Many educators feel unprepared to teach the nuances of digital literacy and critical thinking, a challenge compounded by a lack of standardized curriculum and funding. The Alliance's program seeks to address this gap directly by providing a field-tested, collaborative model.

“Students are growing up in an AI-infused, media-saturated world where information literacy and decision skills are essential for understanding,” said David Samuelson, Executive Director of the Alliance for Decision Education. “This first-time support from Carnegie is a meaningful milestone for our organization and will help us work alongside school districts to ensure students are learning not just how to analyze information, but how to make thoughtful, informed decisions about what they see, share, and believe.”

The Science of Better Decisions

What sets the Alliance’s Media Literacy Incubator apart is its integration of media literacy with the principles of Decision Education—a discipline focused on teaching the process of how to think, not what to think. The program’s core philosophy is that evaluating information is only the first step; the ultimate goal is to make a better decision based on that evaluation.

Participants learn to identify and resist their own cognitive biases, such as confirmation bias, which leads people to favor information that confirms their existing beliefs. They are taught to consider multiple perspectives, think in terms of probabilities rather than certainties, and apply structured frameworks to their choices. A key outcome measured in the pilot programs was an increase in intellectual humility—a greater openness to revising one's beliefs when presented with new or conflicting evidence.

Results from prior cohorts during the 2024–2025 academic year highlight the model's promise. Students who participated showed a 36% improvement in their ability to evaluate media sources for credibility and reliability. This data-driven approach is central to the program's design and its appeal to educational partners.

For example, a pilot at Hubble Middle School in Illinois immersed students in a nine-week, project-based course where they acted as investigative journalists in a simulated digital newsroom. They learned to vet sources, identify bias, and communicate clearly, all while consciously applying decision-making skills to their journalistic tasks.

Strategic Philanthropy for a Healthier Democracy

The grant from Carnegie Corporation of New York is more than just financial fuel; it is a strategic investment aligned with the foundation's long-standing mission to promote education and strengthen democracy. Established in 1911, the Corporation has increasingly focused its efforts on initiatives that build resilience against political polarization and misinformation.

This grant fits squarely within Carnegie's strategy of supporting scalable, evidence-based models that equip citizens with the critical thinking skills necessary for civic engagement. By funding the expansion to the district level, the foundation is endorsing a systemic approach to a systemic problem.

“Helping young people navigate today’s information environment is fundamental to a healthy democracy,” said Ambika Kapur, a program director for Education at Carnegie Corporation of New York. “Through this grant, Carnegie is glad to support district-level implementation of the Alliance’s Media Literacy Incubator, equipping students with the skills to evaluate information critically, engage with differing viewpoints, and make informed decisions.”

From Pilot Program to National Impact

The expansion will build upon successful Media Literacy Incubator partnerships already established in individual schools in Illinois, North Carolina, Hawaii, and Maryland. The transition from single-school pilots to district-wide implementation marks a crucial step toward achieving national scale and impact.

Scaling any educational innovation presents challenges, from navigating district bureaucracy to ensuring consistent teacher training and adapting the curriculum to diverse local contexts. The Alliance's model is designed to be collaborative, working with districts to co-design instructional tools and provide extensive professional learning and coaching for hundreds of educators. This partnership approach aims to foster local ownership and ensure the program is integrated sustainably into existing subjects like social studies and English language arts.

Over the course of the grant, the Alliance will continue to measure student outcomes using validated assessments, further strengthening the evidence base for Decision Education. This research will not only refine the program but also contribute to a national community of educators, researchers, and policymakers dedicated to advancing these critical skills. The ultimate goal is to inform and influence policy at both the state and national levels, embedding the practice of sound decision-making into the fabric of American K-12 education.